A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 14 eBook

We settled the astronomer with his instruments, and
a sufficient guard, on a small island, that is joined
to Motuara at low water, called the Hippa, where there
was an old fortified town that the natives had forsaken.
Their houses served our people to live in; and, by
sinking them about a foot inside, we made them very
comfortable. Having done this, we struck our
tents on the Motuara, and having removed the ship farther
into the cove on the west shore, moored her for the
winter. We then erected our tents near the river
or watering-place, and sent ashore all the spars and
lumber off the decks, that they might be caulked;
and gave her a winter coat to preserve the hull and
rigging. On the 11th of May, we felt two severe
shocks of an earthquake, but received no kind of damage.
On the 17th, we were surprised by the people firing
guns on the Hippa, and having sent the boat, as soon
as she opened the sound, had the pleasure of seeing
the Resolution off the mouth of it. We immediately
sent out the boats to tow her in, it being calm.
In the evening she anchored about a mile without us;
and next morning weighed and warped within us.
Both ships felt uncommon joy at our meeting, after
an absence of fourteen weeks.[1]

[1] It is, perhaps, unnecessary to state,
that the opinion expressed in this section, as
to there being no straits between New Holland and
Diemen’s Land, is erroneous. The reader
must have previously known this.—­E.

SECTION VIII.

Transactions in Queen Charlotte’s Sound,
with some Remarks on the Inhabitants.

Knowing that scurvy-grass, celery, and other vegetables,
were to be found in this sound, I went myself the
morning after my arrival, at day-break, to look for
some, and returned on board at breakfast with a boat-load.
Being now satisfied, that enough was to be got for
the crews of both ships, I gave orders that they should
be boiled, with wheat and portable broth, every morning
for breakfast; and with peas and broth for dinner;
knowing from experience, that these vegetables, thus
dressed, are extremely beneficial, in removing all
manner of scorbutic complaints.

I have already mentioned a desire I had of visiting
Van Diemen’s Land, in order to inform myself
if it made a part of New Holland; and I certainly
should have done this, had the winds proved favourable.
But as Captain Furneaux had now, in a great measure,
cleared up that point, I could have no business there;
and therefore came to a resolution to continue our
researches to the east, between the latitudes of 41
deg. and 46 deg.. I acquainted Captain Furneaux
therewith, and ordered him to get his ship in readiness
to put to sea as soon as possible.

In the morning of the 20th, I sent ashore, to the
watering-place near the Adventure’s tent, the
only ewe and ram remaining, of those which I brought
from the Cape of Good Hope, with an intent to leave
them in this country. Soon after I visited the
several gardens Captain Furneaux had caused to be
made and planted with various articles; all of which
were in a flourishing state, and, if attended to by
the natives, may prove of great utility to them.
The next day I set some men to work to make a garden
on Long Island, which I planted with garden seeds,
roots, &c.